Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) cracked 53's need to file complaint

[SRakers]

I have a 99 QC with a cracked 53. I found this web site on another thread and plan to file a complaint. I really encourage all 53 owners to file a complaint asap. If 20-30 of these appear maybe some red flags will jump at someone. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ We all need to stick together on this issue if we are to get anything done. Some are talking class action, count me in. Count me in on anything to help make this thing right. If anyone has any ideas lets hear it, but lets get it started.

 

[2-ND TIME]

Count me in on this for it is better to be together. Dam cry slurrrr do_g_ cr_ _ .

 

[hammersley]

If you check the only

problem is with a fire..... I don't think these guys will care one bit about a cracked block - there is no way this can cause a safety problem as I see it... ... and that's the purpose of this system. I mean a design defect that is bad AND NOT SAFETY - related - well I think they will just "round file" it!

 

[VicR]

Apparently this is not the only engine that Chrysler has trouble with. Do a search for "Chrylser" and "2. 7" for some ideas.



http://www.autosafety.org/ZetscheThanksgiving.pdf



http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=101&did=964



Looks like DC's response to these owners is about the same as it was to the Durango owners whose wheels were falling off...

 

[DavidC]

problem is with a fire..... I don't think these guys will care one bit about a cracked block - there is no way this can cause a safety problem as I see it... ... and that's the purpose of this system. I mean a design defect that is bad AND NOT SAFETY - related - well I think they will just "round file" it!

It is better than doing nothing at all. Maybe we need a volunteer that gets massive and permanant anti freeze burns from a cracked block or a family driving down the road that gets splattered from that leaky block. I do not know the answer to this problem, but I do know I will file a complaint against Chrysler ignoring this defect where ever I can. This site takes defective equipment complaints and a cracked block is defective. I got a whopping 53K miles out of mine. The diesel option was $4600. 00 when new and another 3K 53K miles later?. Yes I am just a little p***ed off. Anybody ever heard of a $8K engine option on a passenger vehicle from the factory before. If we do not file complaints where ever we can and only vent this problem here how far do you think we will get?. Only the people that have had this problem know the frustration of fixing it. This is not directed to anyone personal but I would like people to file a complaint against problems like this. More and more businesses are ignoring problems because they know they will get away with it.



Dave

 

[hammersley]

Dave - don't get me wrong - believe you me I

sympathize with you ( I also have a 53 block - but mine just passed the 194,000 mark) and there is no reason not to complain - maybe the TDR could be the instrument for filing a class action on the lift pump/VP 44 and the 53 block ... I feel almost helpless as DC can "outlawyer you!!!!"



I remember when I was young - in the 50's - (I grew up in north central Pennsylvanis) - there was a guy who had a ford station wagon - I don't remember the year - but he had painted all over it something to the effect that this FORD is a Lemon... ... . Perhapd something like this would work - EXCEPT - we all have such huge ego's - nobody wants to drive around advertising this - and essentially making fun of ourselves... .



What about a common large bumper sticker that lets the world know about this concern ---- with thousands of em' around - that might start to get some action - BUT it might come in the form of DC going after the individuals.

 

[SHobbs]

Letters have been written

I have written letters, made phone calls and emails on this issue. I have even written to Ralph Nader who has always been on the consumers side. No responses yet but I am hopefull. As stated earlier something needs to be done and yes we need to stand togerther. I would rather try to get something done now then wait for my block to crack and have to foot the bill for the repair. I don't remember signing a waiver when I bought my truck stating that the motor may or may not develop a crack needing expensive repairs at my cost. Cummins built it sold it to Chrysler as is and Chysler held the warranty, now someone needs to step up to the plate and correct the problem that Cummins amitted was their problem and Chrysler refuses to do anything about. As soon as I get some replies I will let everyone know.

 

[brianMo]

Count me in all the way. I have a worthless leaky dodge truck seating in my driveway. Cannot afford to do anything about it right now. Just let me know what you want me to do. Lets not let this one slip through the cracks. Lets get on it! We need letters, petitions. We need to swamp them with complaints. I already filed with the nhtsa. I agree it is more for safety. But maybe somebody will do something. It can't hurt. Have you got anywhere yet? Lets get with it!!!



Pi**ed in Missouri

 

[SHobbs]

None yet

Anyone and everyone with a 53 block needs to get in on it, come are'nt there over 20k members here how many have a 53. Write, call, email and raise all kinds of you know what. A message needs to be sent and sent loudly. For those of you have allready paid for the repair you should be the first ones in line. Why do you just say oh well I took care of it myself, you should be outraged. My block has not cracked yet and I am not going to sit back and wait for it to. Come on guys and ladies get on the bandwagon.

 

[RMcNee]

Ok, I just got a 99 with 136k on it. . now I'm concerned about this 53 block, where do I find out if I have one of these blocks, and what should i be looking for if it cracks? Is it an external leak or internal, this is my first diesel so everything is new to me... thanks Russ

 

[SnoKing]

Look at the side of the engine above the pan and below the injector pump. If you see a raised number 53 in letters a inch to inch and a quarter high, that is the 53 block. If it is a 53, look at the side of the block on the passengers side above the pan and below the head/exhaust manifold for weeping anti-freeze. You will have to get under the truck to do both of these. SNOKING

 

[DSpencer]

I have a 53. I have 108k on mine with no problems yet and I do worry about it... . not. I know it has a small chance of cracking but from what I have heard and read, the chances are somewhat small. I feel for the owners who have had this devastating crack and know that I am in for a BIG bill if mine fails.



As far as a class action or suit against Cummins or DC, I think you would have to show not only that there is a problem which Cummins has already acknowledged, but also a statistically significant number of failures. If say 3-5 percent have cracked by 200k, then I doubt a court would see it your way. Many cars have far more serious problems than the 53.

So many cars have known problems. My Lincoln was known to have head gasket problems, my mechanic said most all of them were failing around 100 thousand miles. A friends caddy had the same thing and yes they were also known to have the same type of problem. I'm sure there are many other examples of cars and trucks with known HIGH RISK of sigificant repair costs. Our 53's are not as bullet proof as I would like but from what I have been reading, the chance of them breaking is not near as high as others. If we could prove 20 or 30 percent not making it to 200 thousand you might have a chance but I don't think there is that high of a failure rate.



I do feel for the owners of failed 53's, I have a potential nightmare outside but since it hasn't broken and probably won't I will wait and not worry about it. There are so many other things that can take up my time.

 

[canblue]

Casting specs?

Does anyone have the casting specs for the 53 block? What should be the wall thickness etc. ?

 

[cpeters]

What about those of us driving our truck beyond 200k? I bought my truck to go the distance and I plan to do it, we need to prove a failure rate of 20-30% in 350-400k trucks, I don't tear my truck up drive mostly hwy and plan to keep it a long time, so far I'm at 180k.

 

[GBrock]

Ummmmm... . not safety related? Are you kidding me? Picture yourself and family driving down I-10 in West Texas or Death Valley in the heat of the summer and the block goes... you're stuck on a freeway in the middle of nowhere and you have kids in the truck. Nobody will stop to help you... they're all doing 75-85 mph, it would almost be too dnagerous to stop. So you fry in the heat and hope a State or Highway trooper will see you and call for roadside assistance, before you or your family suffer from heat stroke... or before you get slammed by another driver who accidentially swerves into the emergnecy lane.



In my opinion, cracking a block at the wrong time could definitely be a safety issue.



Heres one more, I once blew the head gasket in my Merkur Xr4ti (man, what a P. O. S. that car was). Well, I was on a bridge and the traffic was moving along at 80 mph. I had no choice but to press on to get off the bridge. As I coast to a stop, the cabin fills with smoke and within 5 minutes the car is completely engulfed in flames. I have no where to escape to as I am still on the bridge. The traffic continues to fly past me at 80+ mph and I had to run from the car. It was night. It apeared that I was off the bridge and I almost jumped over the median to avoid the flames... had I done so I would have faced a 100+ foot fall to my death. Eventually a driver stops and offers to allow me to wait in his car to avoid getting hit by the other drivers.



So say you're driving down the freeway, suffer a catostrophic engine failure and face the same circumstances. Sure diesel would probably not ignite as it is not volitile enough, but one never knows. To me, there are plenty of safety issues surrounding a cracked block. I know most of the cracks are slow to develop but I am sure some happen rather quickly as well.



The problem is, it will more than likely take a death or two (or 10) before the lawyers and government get involved. One wishes Cummins would just step up to the plate and offer to do the right thing in the first thing. But then, no CEO is bold enough to make such a move in today's environment.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

dude, when the block cracks, it just leaks water... it doesn't blow up...



just carry a few gallons of water and some stop-leak with you (which you should anyway if you're driving across country in ANY vehicle!) and if it cracks and a leak develops, throw the stop leak and water in there, drive to the store, buy more anti-freeze/water, limp it home, and have the crack repaired.



I can't imagine it costing more than $500 to repair...



there doesn't appear to be an overwhealiming percentage of 53 blocks that develop the crack... now, obviously there aren't any OTHER castings that are cracking, but it's not like ALL 53 blocks crack. I would be surprised to learn that it was over a few percent.



Forrest

 

[MLeppen]

Heres one more, I once blew the head gasket in my Merkur Xr4ti (man, what a P. O. S. that car was). Well, I was on a bridge and the traffic was moving along at 80 mph. I had no choice but to press on to get off the bridge. As I coast to a stop, the cabin fills with smoke and within 5 minutes the car is completely engulfed in flames. I have no where to escape to as I am still on the bridge. The traffic continues to fly past me at 80+ mph and I had to run from the car. It was night. It apeared that I was off the bridge and I almost jumped over the median to avoid the flames... had I done so I would have faced a 100+ foot fall to my death. Eventually a driver stops and offers to allow me to wait in his car to avoid getting hit by the other drivers.

Now that's FUNNY... ..... LMAO! If I owned a Ford prouduct I would of considered jumping too :-laf

 

[SnoKing]

dude, when the block cracks, it just leaks water... it doesn't blow up...



just carry a few gallons of water and some stop-leak with you (which you should anyway if you're driving across country in ANY vehicle!) and if it cracks and a leak develops, throw the stop leak and water in there, drive to the store, buy more anti-freeze/water, limp it home, and have the crack repaired.



I can't imagine it costing more than $500 to repair...



there doesn't appear to be an overwhealiming percentage of 53 blocks that develop the crack... now, obviously there aren't any OTHER castings that are cracking, but it's not like ALL 53 blocks crack. I would be surprised to learn that it was over a few percent.



Forrest

I don't own a 53, but if I did and it cracked, it would be 100 failure rate for ME! SNOKING

 

[Forrest Nearing]

parts break... I realize we love the Cummins because it DOESN'T break, but the bottom line is the crack is repairable... and it doesn't cost THAT much to repair... it's not an $8k engine replacement anymore... shouldn't cost as much as a transmission rebop for instance. some guys frag trannies at 150k, some guys go 500k on the original...



I agree that the blocks shouldn't crack, and I agree that Cummins should do more for their customers, but Dodge didn't buy warranties from Cummins, so it's on DODGE... and I'll agree that Dodge should do more for their customers...



but will YOU agree that neither Dodge or Cummins is going to foot the bill and complaining to them about a pretty uncommon occurance isn't going to get anyone anywhere? I'd be FAR more concerned about the lift pump and injection pump on my 24v than the 53 block under the hood. where's the class action suit over the lift pumps and injection pumps? they fail FAR more often than the blocks do...



not discounting anyone's frustration over their cracked 53 blocks, just saying that it's not going get them anywhere



Forrest

 

[canblue]

A good word for Cummin US

I have one of the cracked 53's. The shop that has the truck tried JB weld and products of a similar nature. They did not work. They them turned to welding. Not sure what product they used but that did not work either. New cracks appeared. Will post picks after I get them developed. Looking at a Cummins reman short block.



I approached Daimler Chrysler Canada, via email and through my local dealer. Nada. I sent email to Cummins in Ontario, Canada. They referred me to DC.

All attempts proved negative.



In frustration I send a note to Cummins in the US. Much to my surprise Cummins wanted to talk to be about the problem. After some discussion the offered to pay 1,000. 00 towards the repairs. It is not much when I look at the 12,000. 00 bill but they did not have to do anything. I do not have the check yet but I am taking them at their word.



This small act speaks volumes about Customer awareness for Cummins and what appears to be the absolute lack of it when it comes to DC and Cummins Canada.



I am not happy about the 53 cracking - the hows and whys of it.